In Pursuit of  the Perfect Chocolate
by Kiyoi.Aiyoku
Summary: Byakuya Kuchiki found the perfect chocolate for his lover, but not without a mountain of leftovers. Yachiru wants those leftovers! Follow Yachiru's mission to acquire her desired sweets while spying on the two love birds. T for the short Bya/Ren scene.


A/N: This is the first story I'm writing for my "Pursuit" series; you can read more about it on my profile if you're interested. Although most of the stories will feature couples, I thought this would be a fun place to start.

I have never written Yachiru before, nor have I read fics about her much but I'm still hoping I can do a decent job with this.

Warnings: Slight yaoi scenes, though the focus is the chocolate, anyone who has a strong aversion to yaoi will probably be displeased.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or it's characters.

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><p>Yachiru Kusajishi, 11th division lieutenant. Her position held something imposing to most; that is until they met her and became acquainted with her cotton candy-pink hair and intense love of sweets. It was never long after meeting her though until they would discover that she was one of the few things that Kenpachi Zaraki cared deeply for. This, of course, fully reinstated the fear that they had initially imagined when thinking of the lieutenant of the division most noted for its direct combat skills.<p>

It was beautiful day in Seireitei, so beautiful in fact, that Kenpachi had decided to take his afternoon nap a bit early. He climbed lazily onto the roof of his 11th division office and was out in mere minutes. This was quite a relief for many of the younger, newer members of the Gotei 13. Just knowing that Kenpachi was out and about could strike fear into the hearts of many. What they didn't know was that Kenpachi wouldn't fight just anyone, he was more honorable than many would give him credit for. He wouldn't fight anyone so far below his own level that they stood absolutely no chance. So the very shinigami who feared him really had nothing to be afraid of at all.

Their fear was in fact quite misplaced. It was Kenpachi's naptime that should have elicited the most fear, for it was then that his lieutenant had free reign to terrorize and torture any shinigami who possessed the one thing she loved almost as much as her dear Ken-chan.

Yachiru took this opportunity without hesitation. Quickly and quietly slipping out of the divisions back door, she easily passed by any of the few shinigami that would have dared to stop her. Ikkaku had been busy building something while Yumichika was occupied with the work that the rest of the division seemed to just ignore. Sticking to the tops of walls and rooftops, Yachiru stayed out of sight of any potentially on looking shinigami. Her destination clear in her young mind, she made quick progress toward her goal.

It was but a few days ago that Yachiru had overheard an interesting conversation, one interesting enough to peak her curiosity. It had been just after the monthly meeting where all the captains and lieutenants gather to discuss anything of importance. A young man that was believed to be one of the Kuchiki house staff members met Byakuya Kuchiki just outside the meeting hall.

"Kuchiki-sama," he said bowing very low. "Our staff has acquired several samples of the product you have been searching for. They are the finest the Living World has to offer but we don't know which one is the best, would you care to sample them?"

"No, I do not care for sweets myself. I trust that they are sufficiently sweet if your efforts were as rigorous as your reports have stated. Do you have them with you?" the noble inquired.

"Yes, I have small sample packages right here Kuchiki-sama. These three appear to be the best in design and scent," the attendant said while handing Byakuya the three packages.

Yachiru, hiding nearby, focused intently on the scene before her. Her eyes widened in anticipation at the sight of the small boxes that she knew contained the splendidly smooth, superbly sweet, captivatingly creamy, scrumptious substance known as chocolate. She was ready to spring into action and snatch the boxes away but the attendant spoke again, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"We have acquired a full size box of each of these samples, plus several others if these are insufficient." As the attendant spoke Byakuya eyed the small boxes curiously before sniffing each one lightly.

Yachiru wanted the wonderful sweets so badly she could practically taste them. It took all of her willpower not to act on instinct and impulse but she knew if she had the strength to wait, to be patient, that she could have access to all of Byakuya's candies instead of just these three small boxes. She waited as patiently as she could; all she needed was the location.

"The other samples as well as the boxes are waiting in your office at the Kuchiki manor."

"This one," Byakuya indicated the small black box decorated with delicate flowers inscribed in gold, laced with red and a fancy font naming the contents and company that made them. "Have it wrapped and leave it on my desk, put all the remaining ones away in the kitchen, surely we'll find something to do with them later. You have done adequate work, now off with you."

The young attendant blushed at the praise as he bowed to the noble and ran off in the direction of the Kuchiki manor. Yachiru now had her target clear in her mind; all she had to do was wait for the right moment. Luckily, that moment had presented itself when she successfully slipped out of the 11th division unnoticed.

She was running quietly, the light tapping of her feet against the top of the block wall the only indication of her presence. These were the walls that would soon lead her to the Kuchiki manor walls that guarded the entire property and her target. It was clear when one reached said walls, they were distinctly different from the walls that ran through all of the Seireitei, more pristine and maintained, slightly taller and more imposing, more sturdy and durable. There were very few people in all of the worlds that would even attempt to pass these walls without explicit permission. Yachiru Kusajishi was one of those few people.

Yachiru easily scaled the wall and quickly hid behind the nearby bushes. A pair of wall patrol guards that had just passed the area turned around when they heard the small thump caused by Yachiru hitting the ground.

"Did you hear that?" asked the slighter of the two guards. "The bushes! Look at them, they're moving!"

"It's probably just an animal, go check it out." The larger guard shoved the smaller one toward the bush. "Stop being a chicken, you choose to be a guard didn't you," he taunted.

The smaller male huffed and stomped to the bush. He poked at it with his sword a few times.

"_Nyaaaaa! Nyaaa!_" Yachiru mimicked a cat startling the young male and causing him to scurry away.

"Haha hahaha ha!" the larger male laughed, bending to slap his knee. "Told ya' it was only an animal!" Yachiru's imitation clearly effective enough to fool the two males.

After the two continued on their patrol route, Yachiru was able to make her way to the service entrance of the manor with no complications and quietly slip inside; it took some effort for her to stifle the small giggle that threatened to erupt at how easily she could sneak into such a guarded place. The Kuchiki staff was _always_ busy, so Yachiru knew better than to remain in the service corridors for long; surprisingly, she was much less likely to be caught in the main halls, only Byakuya and Rukia lived there after all.

She exited the service corridor after several minutes of scurrying along the walls and slipped into the nearest room, which turned out to be a small office. Unfortunately, Yachiru didn't know her way around the expansive manor as well as she'd originally hoped; she turned to look out the window across the room in hopes of figuring out exactly where she was but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the hall.

_Oh no! If Byakushi finds me now he'll make me go home to Ken-chan. He'll probably have a yummy rice bun for me before I go but I want that suuuuper yummy chocolate! I have to have that chocolate! I can't let Byakushi find me before I get that chocolate!_

Yachiru slipped behind a large shelf just as the footsteps reached the door.

"Abarai Renji, I said no," Byakuya stated sternly as he opened the door to the office where Yachiru was hiding.

"Oh come on Byakuya!" Renji whined. "How can you even expect to give me such a wonderful gift, and for no reason! And then expect me not to pay you back?"

"Renji, I do not need a reason to dote on you. I simply had the desire to find something you may like. I do not want to hear another word about this until this work is finished." Byakuya turned his attention to one of the three desks in the room and rummaged through its drawers.

"Fine," Renji sighed as he glanced at the bookshelf that hid Yachiru's presence. "But Byakuya, Rukia will be back from the Living World later today, will you still let me stay?"

"Well if you want to repay me so badly, that simply means you had better finish this work quickly," Byakuya countered as he handed the papers he'd been looking for to Renji, he purposefully avoided answering Renji's question.

_I wonder what "dote" means. _Yachiru thought to herself as the two men left the room, still bickering. _And I wonder what Pineapple-head did to Byakushi to have to pay him back for, Pineapple-head must be in trouble again! He always makes Byakushi mad. He's the only person Byakushi gets so flustered around, he must bother Byakushi more than aaaanyone else._ After the footsteps sounded safely distant, Yachiru slipped from behind the bookshelf and proceeded with her plans.

After looking out the window and assuming that she now knew exactly where she was, she bolted out of the room and down the hall unknowingly toward the back of the manor. She slipped into a closet when she heard Byakuya walking down the hall with Renji trailing after him.

_Haha, Pineapple-head is like Byakushi's puppy! Maybe that's why Byakushi keeps him around even though Pineapple makes him so flustered. Since he's really not a puppy, but acts like one, he's like a _really _smart puppy! I don't think Byakushi would like a real puppy, but I sure would! I should ask Ken-chan for a puppy after I get my candy! I must have went the wrong way though…_

Yachiru waited for the men to pass then slipped back out of the closet she'd been hiding in and ran down the hall in the direction she'd come from, she wasn't really worried about running into anybody now that she knew Byakuya and Renji were in the back half of the manor. She stopped at an intersection, unsure of which path to follow. She closed her eyes and gave herself away to senses, mostly her nose though.

A delightfully delicious scent wafted down one of the halls drawing Yachiru in its direction. It wasn't her chocolate, but it was impossible to pass up. She hadn't eaten since breakfast, intent on filling her tummy with chocolate, but it was now at least one in the afternoon and Yachiru was very hungry. She could tell Ken-chan still hadn't woken up, since there was no hope of having lunch with him anyway, she decided to charm her way into a meal from the Kuchiki kitchen staff. Now she only had to hope her favorite cook was in. Yachiru peeked into the door quietly then burst into the room as soon as she saw the woman.

"Arimi-chan!" Yachiru squealed. Yachiru was ecstatic at the sight of the dark haired, kind eyed, lithe young woman.

"Yachiru-chan, what are you doing here again? You sure do spend a lot of time sneaking around Kuchiki-sama's home!" the young, wide-eyed woman placed her hands on her hips, leaned toward Yachiru and mock scolded her. Yachiru looked sadly up at her from the scolding, her dark pink eyes mimicking the color of the young woman's own eyes. "Don't worry," the woman smiled, "I'll never tell! It does Kuchiki-sama some good to have kids around!"

"You're my favorite Arimi-chan!" Yachiru clung to the woman's leg. "Well after Ken-chan of course…"

"But of course Yachiru-chan!" she patted the young girls head and returned to stirring the large pot on the stove. "Are you hungry?"

"YES!" Yachiru shouted.

"Go sit at that table then, this is ready now. I'll be just a moment then we can eat lunch together."

Yachiru complied without complaint, her chocolate hunt temporarily forgotten. Arimi gave her a big bowl of the soup she'd been cooking and told her not to eat too fast because she would be right back. Arimi prepared two bowls to take Byakuya and Renji then slipped out of the room.

The two men were working quietly in Byakuya's garden view office with the shoji doors wide open to allow the cool breeze inside. She knocked lightly and Byakuya granted her permission to enter.

"Kuchiki-sama, I've brought your lunch," she said bowing low. "I've brought some for Renji-sama too."

Byakuya eyed the young woman questioningly. His staff usually hated Renji; they would never accommodate him without explicit request from Byakuya himself. Arimi was different though, she didn't need to be told Renji was visiting, she always just _knew_.

"Wow, Arimi-san! You're awesome," Renji exclaimed. "Byakuya didn't even tell you guys I was here!" Byakuya glared at Renji for using his given name in front of others. "Ehm, sorry. _Taicho_ didn't tell anyone I was here."

Arimi giggled lightly and apologized to Byakuya. "My apologies Byakuya-sama, and please excuse me for saying so, but you needn't hide you relations from me."

Byakuya raised an eyebrow in question.

"Uhm… it's just that," she stuttered lightly, he beckoned her to continue. "Well, I understand and I will not speak a word of it! Please excuse me for not saying more, it would be improper!"

Renji tensed at her statement, he really though Byakuya was going to have her head. Byakuya, unexpectedly, softened his gaze allowing the woman to relax slightly.

"Thank you Arimi-san, I've never before had staff that was actually attentive to me and accepted my company." Arimi was fairly new to the Kuchiki-staff but she picked things up very quickly and rose through the ranks with ease.

Arimi blushed furiously at the praise. "Please excuse me Kuchiki-sama! If I do not hurry back the young one will be loose again."

"Ah, yes. If you are able, please take care of that, she's been spying on us for half of the day now, if not I shall call that _brute_ later."

"I am able Kuchiki-sama. She's fond of me, I've succeeded in removing her several times without alerting you to her presence."

"Very well then."

And with that Arimi returned to Yachiru, now she wouldn't have to worry about being caught with the young girl and punished for insubordination. She could freely figure out what the young girl was in search of, satisfy her needs, and then send her home without causing trouble, hopefully. Luckily, Yachiru had listened to Arimi and was sitting quietly eating her soup when the young woman returned. She joined the young girl in lunch before beginning her extraction plan.

Yachiru spoke freely with Arimi, she told her about the divisions and all of her friends in each one, about Ichigo and his friends in the Living World, about her favorite places to play and people to pick on. Eventually Yachiru even revealed her reason for the day's visit to the Kuchiki manor.

"The Living World is _super_ awesome!" Yachiru exclaimed. "They have lots of fun things to do and amazing candy and cake!"

"Candy and cake? That must make you happy!"

"YES! I _love_ candy and cake! That's why I'm visiting Byakushi today! I heard there was a _lot_ of fancy chocolate in the kitchen but it's not here," Yachiru pouted.

"So you _were_ snooping around while I was gone," Arimi giggled, her suspicions confirmed. "You know Yachiru-chan, this isn't the only kitchen in the Kuchiki manor."

"Really?"

"Really. There's one in the center of every wing," Arimi revealed some hope for the young girl. Yachiru's excitement peaked upon finding out that her search hadn't been for nothing, that her patience could still pay off.

Arimi enjoyed the young girl's company; she led a life very different from her own after all. She was usually quiet and shy, but very perceptive and open; everyone always told her it was strange to be both open and shy in one person, luckily she didn't mind what others thought of her. She was also quite good with children and wasn't at all surprised when Yachiru started falling asleep after such a large meal.

She carried the young, sleeping girl to a nearby guest room to put her down for a nap while she cleaned the kitchen. After about an hour of cleaning, Arimi went back to check on Yachiru and was pleased to see that she was still sleeping soundly. Deciding it was safe to continue working, Arimi left Yachiru alone for a while longer.

And Yachiru did sleep for quite some time but she managed to wake up at the most inopportune time for Arimi who was hanging laundry to dry. Alone in the big, fancy room, Yachiru didn't need to spend much time before she'd recall her goals and realize that her plans had been taken severely off course. Finally, her hunt continued with a renewed passion, Yachiru would waste no more effort on being sidetracked.

She ran quickly down the bare halls of the nearly empty manor until she reached the large corridor that she knew would lead to a separate wing. Upon reaching said wing, she began to open doors at random in search of the kitchen. Arimi then discovered that Yachiru had awoken and had run off on her own; she began her own hunt of finding the young girl.

Arimi followed signs of the young girl for nearly an hour, never able to completely catch up, always a few steps behind. It wasn't hard to tell where Yachiru had been, doors were left cracked, some completely open still, any room with any resemblance to a kitchen was left in a mess, drawers and cabinets flung open and forgotten, countertops relieved of their normal adornments.

It was late in the afternoon when Arimi had begun to slow down, tiring from chasing the young girl. She'd finally narrowed her search to the center wing, now all she had to do was get ahead of Yachiru and she could easily capture her, lure her with promise of ending her tiring her search. This time, instead of following Yachiru, she took a different turn, intent on heading her off but was stopped dead in her tracks when she turned the corner just in time to witness Abarai Renji, the top half of his shihakusho pushed from his shoulders and hanging from his obi, his red hair loose and wild, push Kuchiki Byakuya, minus all status symbols and top, into a room.

Arimi quickly turned around and hid around the corner, this was an absolute worst case scenario, Yachiru just _had_ to be searching the very wing that Byakuya and Renji were in. She turned, running to follow Yachiru's path and catch her, ignoring all the mess the young one had made, simply intent on apprehending the young intruder.

Rukia had returned home just in time to witness Arimi running full speed past the entrance as she'd sighed a hushed "_Tadaima,_" at the expected silence.

Arimi stopped for only a second to bow to Rukia and the continued running, yelling "_Okaerinasai,_" behind her.

"Oi!" Rukia called after her. She then decided to follow her, curious what was going on and excited to see some life in the normally dead manor.

Yachiru had not ceased her search in the time it took Arimi to find Byakuya and Renji and to gain a follower. She turned a corner sharply and stopped when she overheard a conversation coming from a nearby room.

"Renji," Byakuya moaned. "D-don't do that, it's filthy!"

A light "pop" sounded before Renji spoke, "How can something so sweet be filthy, Byakuya?" There was a slight groan in response. "Don't you like it?"

The word "sweet" was all that stood out to Yachiru, her interest peaked, she proceeded quietly toward the door that concealed the two men.

"I never…expected…" Byakuya began, and at that very moment, Arimi and Rukia spotted Yachiru and ran full speed toward her. "chocolate…" he continued, causing the young girl to reach up and begin sliding the door open.

Just as Yachiru was beginning to yell the word "chocolate" and pounce into the room, Arimi covered her mouth and eyes but, unfortunately, didn't have enough hands to protect her own and Rukia's from witnessing Byakuya in the throes of ecstasy as he released into his lovers chocolate dripping mouth while screaming his name, the sentence he'd begun long forgotten.

Yachiru squirmed in Arimi's grip, eager to see why Byakuya mentioned chocolate, but Arimi bent down and whispered in her ear "I found the chocolate you're looking for Yachiru-chan, all of it. Stay quiet and I'll take you to it."

Yachiru nodded under Arimi's grip, which effectively freed the hand covering the girl's mouth. Arimi closed the door and picked Yachiru up, holding the child on her hip; she grabbed a stunned, wide-eyed Rukia by the wrist and took both of the girls to the manor's main kitchen.

She sat Yachiru down in the doorway and pointed to a very large pile of colorful boxes in the corner. Yachiru couldn't contain a squeal of delight when she saw the pile that nearly doubled her own height. She could smell the delightful scent even through the plastic coverings and cardboard boxes that contained the sweets that she so desired. Arimi sat Rukia at a small table and shoved a warm drink into her hands while Yachiru made her way to the sizeable pile.

"_YUCK!_" Yachiru screamed in protest, throwing the box she held toward the trash but missing completely. "This isn't _chocolate!_ This is gross!" She began tearing into boxes at lightning speed after discovering the next two to be just like the first, not child friendly. She began discarding all the chocolate that tasted bad and left a mess in her wake. In mere minutes, the kitchen was covered with discarded plastic coverings, ripped cardboard boxes, paper holders, and half-eaten chocolate pieces.

Arimi, realizing what the problem was, tried calm the young girl by explaining that expensive chocolate is for the coca, not the sugar and sweets. Unfortunately, this wasn't sufficient for Yachiru. She continued to tear through box after box, wrapper after wrapper.

Rukia, finally emerging from her stunned state, dug through the small bag she'd been carrying over her shoulder until her slender hands emerged with a very large bar of chocolate from a convenience store in the Living World. "I'd got this for Renji but…I guess he already got his chocolate…" she said, handing the bar to Arimi to pass to Yachiru.

She tore into the wrapper at unbelievable speeds and launched into a pleased eating frenzy. With her taste buds finally satisfied, Yachiru Kusajishi's mission was complete.


End file.
